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78-761: During the Insurgency in the Preševo Valley , the Liberation Army of Preševo, Medveđa and Bujanovac (UÇPMB) was founded in Dobrosin by Shefket Musliu , an auto mechanic and highest commander of the UÇPMB. The group began attacking Serbian civilians and police, with the goal of joining Preševo , Medveđa and Bujanovac into Kosovo, which escalated into an insurgency . Earlier in March 2001, NATO allowed Yugoslav forces to take back

156-487: A 62 mm mortar, 16 mortar shells, one hand grenade, one automatic rifle with 2200 bullets and 25 bullets for a pistol. This hidden weapon belonged to rebels who carried out attacks from the territory of Kosovo without crossing the administrative line. There were also 10 unarmed rebels in black uniforms who tried to illegally enter the south of Serbia. In February 2001, Deputy Prime Minister of Serbia and Head of Coordination Center for Southern Serbia Nebojša Čović proposed

234-560: A Republic within the Yugoslav federation. The Serbian government responded by dissolving the Assembly and the government of Kosovo, removing any remaining autonomy. The Serb government then passed another law on labour relations which dismissed another 80,000 Albanian workers. Ethnic Albanian members of the now officially dissolved Kosovo Assembly met in secret in Kaçanik on 7 September and declared

312-622: A demobilization and demilitarization agreement of the UÇPMB on 21 May in Končulj, guaranteeing the safe and peaceful entry of the Yugoslav Army into Sector B of the GSZ according to the following schedule: Zone B South until 22 May, Zone B Center until 31 May, while Zone B North was not under the control of rebels. The agreement was signed in the presence of Sean Sullivan , head of the NATO office for Yugoslavia. On

390-547: A distance with mortars , so the Serbs couldn't respond. After Kosovo Liberation Army disbanded according to the peace agreement that ended Kosovo War , its veterans and members founded Liberation Army of Preševo, Medveđa and Bujanovac in a village of Dobrosin . Their goal was the secession of three Albanian populated municipalities from Serbia and their annexation to Kosovo. Fighting between police and separatist began in June 1999 in

468-493: A new Albanian militant insurgent group was formed by Shefket Musliu , called the Liberation Army of Preševo, Medveđa and Bujanovac (UÇPMB), began training in the GSZ, which was witnessed by the KFOR. The group began attacking Serbian civilians and police, with the goal of joining Preševo , Medveđa and Bujanovac into Kosovo. Due to the FRY's inability to use any heavy weapons against

546-566: A new country within a country. Because of the repression, the new government had its seat in exile. There was a parallel football league, following all the sports men and women being expelled from the stadiums and sports facilities. From 1995 onwards, tensions in the region escalated leading to the Kosovo War which began in February 1998, fought between the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia and

624-463: A new war could erupt. Vojislav Koštunica wanted the US to reduce or disband the zone. In November 2000, four policemen were, killed and others wounded. Božo Prelević , one of Serbia's three interior ministers, said Serbian police would return to the zone "with all available means" unless a deadline to end the attacks end was met. On 24 November a KFOR-mediated ceasefire was agreed to. From 30-31 December, on

702-510: A successful operation during which there was no conflict, General Ninoslav Krstić praised the members of Operation Group South and especially praised the members of the battle group of police who occupied the Ravna Banja region – Moravce sector D. The situation in this sector after the entry of the Yugoslav Army was a staple and there were no provocations by Albanian rebels. UÇPMB Commander Shefket Musliu, Ridvan Qazimi and Mustafa Shaqiri, signed

780-513: A village of Končulj . At 06:30 on 14 March 2001, the return of the Јoint Security Forces to the GSZ, Sector C (East Charlie), from the outer line of this zone, started. The Yugoslav forces were deployed west, from the Preševo-Miratovac line, in three directions: towards the villages of Miratovac, Norča and Trnava. Lieutenant-General Lieutenant-General Ninoslav Krstić was led by Lieutenant-General Lieutenant-Colonel Ninoslav Krstic. The Chief of

858-454: Is estimated that Preševo Valley today has around 50,000 Albanians. Since the year 2002, has been low intensity skirmishes and illegal logging incidences in the Preevo valley since the end of the conflict which have resulted in many casualties. During the conflict, 18 members of the Yugoslav security forces were killed and 68 were wounded. Eight ethnic Serbian civilians were also killed. Some of

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936-553: Is sometimes referred to as Eastern Kosovo by Albanians. The Albanian-populated region became a part of Serbia in 1913, after the First Balkan War . From 1945 to 1946 Preševo and Bujanovac were a part of newly established Autonomous Oblast of Kosovo and Metohija inside the Federated State of Serbia . In 1946 they were transferred to Central Serbia in exchange for a part of Serb inhabited modern-day North Kosovo . During

1014-545: Is stretching from Medveđa to the border with Republic of Macedonia . It is controlled by 4th Land Force Brigade situated in the city of Vranje . There are about eleven bases in this area. In 2009 largest military base in Serbia , Cepotina , was opened 5 km from Bujanovac . In 2002 in Preševo , Medveđa and Bujanovac had 57,595 ethnic Albanians. However, they boycotted the 2011 census, so only 6,000 people were recorded. It

1092-580: The First Republic of Kosovo ( Albanian : Republika e Parë e Kosovës ), was a self-declared proto-state in Southeast Europe established in 1991. During its peak, it tried to establish its own parallel political institutions in opposition to the institutions of the Autonomous Province of Kosovo and Metohija held by Yugoslavia 's Republic of Serbia . Late in June 1990, Albanian members of

1170-529: The Ground Safety Zone (GSZ) sector by sector in an attempt to decrease the amount of fierce fighting between the UÇPMB and Yugoslav troops. In early 2001, a UÇPMB fighter died in an accidental explosion at a weapons depot . On 21 May, 2001, the Končulj agreement was signed between Shefket Musliu , Mustafa Shaqiri , Ridvan Qazimi , and Muhamet Xhemajli . The agreement was witnessed by Sean Sullivan , who

1248-573: The Kosovo Liberation Army (KLA) guerrilla force. The KLA-led campaign continued into January 1999 and was brought to the attention of the world media by the Račak massacre , the mass killing of about 45 Albanians (Including 9 KLA insurgents) by Serbian security forces. An international conference was held in Rambouillet , France later that spring and resulted in a proposed peace agreement, called

1326-556: The NLA . They did that until there disarmament on 21 May 2001. Some of its veterans joined newly formed National Liberation Army in Republic of Macedonia . Around 400 guerrillas surrendered in order to get the pardon from the Yugoslav government. UÇPMB commander Shefket Musliu surrendered to KFOR on 26 May. Until August 2001 there were around 1,160 attacks on Serb police and civilians. In July 2000 UÇPMB launched an offensive or in order to take

1404-628: The Rambouillet Agreement , which was accepted by the ethnic Albanian side but rejected by the Yugoslav government. The failure of the talks at Rambouillet resulted in a NATO air campaign against the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia lasting from 24 March to 10 June when the Yugoslav authorities signed a military technical agreement. NATO-led international peacekeepers established the Kosovo Force (KFOR) and an international civilian mission

1482-558: The United Nations , would enter as a peacekeeping force, while Yugoslav military forces were to withdraw. It was agreed that the KLA would disband by 19 September 1999. According to the agreement there would be a demilitarized zone around Kosovo. Serbs could only use police squads with up to 10 members. This buffer zone was used by Albanian guerrillas for attacks against Serbian forces. The Preševo valley conflict erupted in June 1999, but there

1560-586: The breakup of Yugoslavia , on 1 and 2 March 1992 Albanians from Preševo Valley held the referendum about their future status in Serbia. The majority, 97% of voters demanded autonomy for the valley and the right to join Republic of Kosova . Serbian government rejected the referendum as unconstitutional and illegal. In 1992–1993, ethnic Albanians created the Kosovo Liberation Army (KLA) which started attacking police forces and secret-service officials and abused Albanian civilians in 1995. According to Serbian officials,

1638-471: The "Republic of Kosova" in which laws from Yugoslavia would only be valid if compatible with the Republic's constitution. The assembly went on to declare the "Republic of Kosova" an independent state on 22 September 1991. This declaration was endorsed by 99% of voters in an unofficial referendum held a few days later. The Republic of Kosova received diplomatic recognition from Albania. Serb authorities rejected

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1716-639: The Army had occupied 90 percent of the B-South and B North zones without encountering any resistance from rebels. The operation was continued to remove mines and seize weapons, ammunition and military equipment. During the occupation of the northern zone of sector B on 24 May, during the exchange of fire between the VJ and the UÇPMB, the rebel commander Ridvan Qazimi, in the area of the Guri Gat Hill (Black Stone) near Veliki Trnovac ,

1794-520: The Devojačka Čuka Corner, and at 13:30 the rebels were also operating at the corner of Osoje with a fire from a mortar. Due to strong actions, members of the Special Police Units from Gornji Milanovac were forced to withdraw from the communication Konculj – Lucane – Bujanovac , along the width of the road. Police withdrawal was hampered and slowed due to lack of knowledge of the terrain. During

1872-535: The FRY demanded an urgent session of the UN Security Council to condemn the attacks. FRY President Vojislav Koštunica wrote to NATO Secretary General George Robertson with the expectation that KFOR will no longer allow incursions to southern Serbia and similar incidents. At its headquarters in Brussels, NATO emphasized that it opposed the UÇPMB's downfall, while KFOR on the other announced that it would not tolerate

1950-863: The General Staff of the VJ, Lieutenant-General Nebojsa Pavković , Commander of the Third Army, Lieutenant General Vladimir Lazarević , Commander of the Priština Corps Major General Radojko Stefanović, General Obrad Stevanović and several other Yugoslav Army officers. The return operation was followed by the President of the FRY Coordination Body for South Serbia Nebojša Čović and members of the Coordination Body Mica Markovic and Milovan Čogurić. Entering sector C, on

2028-523: The KLA killed 10 policemen and 24 civilians. After escalating tensions between increasing Yugoslav security forces and the KLA, the Kosovo War started in February 1998. The war itself was a parallel conflict between the Yugoslav Army and the KLA. It began in February 1998 and ended on 10 June 1999 when the Kumanovo Agreement was signed. According to the agreement, KFOR troops , supervised by

2106-437: The March one-week ceasefire was agreed again, after four policeman were killed. Army first entered the section on a border with Republic of Macedonia (Sector C East), in order to stop illegal arms smuggling. Afterwards KFOR allowed Serbs to return to Sector C West and A on 25 March, and zone D on 14 April. On 21 May Albanian commanders signed the Končulj agreement and agreed to disarm, but many continued to fight. Last section

2184-463: The Pre%C5%A1evo Valley [REDACTED]   FR Yugoslavia Insurgency The insurgency in the Preševo Valley was an approximately two year-long armed conflict between 1999 and 2001, between the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia and the ethnic Albanian separatists of the Liberation Army of Preševo, Medveđa and Bujanovac (UÇPMB). There were instances during the conflict in which

2262-578: The UÇPMB had 2 casualties. Yugoslavia claims that 14-20 were killed, 8 wounded and that 80 were captured. The Demilitarization Statement, or the Končulj Agreement , was a ceasefire signed between the FR Yugoslavia and the UÇPMB on 20 May 2001. The Končulj Agreement was the first agreement related to this part of Serbia (Preševo, Medveđa, and Bujanovac). The agreement ended the conflicts that spilled over from Kosovo, with political representatives from

2340-533: The UÇPMB, the group expanded and occupied all villages related to Sectors B and C east, with the exception of Gramada . They divided the sectors into three zones: The North zone was commanded by Muhamet Xhemajli , the Center zone was commanded by Ridvan Qazimi , and the South zone was commanded by commanded by Shaqir Shaqiri . After his arrest in 2001, he was replaced with Mustafa Shaqiri . The UÇPMB only attacked Serbs from

2418-661: The Visoko Bilo, sergeant Bratislav Milinković (1957), a member of the 63rd Parachute Brigade from Niš , aimed at a counter-attack mine and received a severe injury to his left leg. He was taken to the military hospital in Bujanovac and then transferred to further treatment in Niš. With the entry of the Joint Security Forces in the Zone B Center, Operation Return was completed and control over

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2496-566: The Yugoslav government requested KFOR support in suppressing UÇPMB attacks since they could only use lightly armed military forces as part of the Kumanovo Treaty that ended the Kosovo War , which created a buffer zone between FR Yugoslavia and Kosovo . Before the insurgency Preševo Valley was home to approximately 100,000 people, of whom 70,000 were Albanians and another 30,000 Serbs . Albanians make up to 95% of Preševo , 63% of Bujanovac and 26% of Medveđa population. The region

2574-583: The border line with the municipality of Medveđa). The return to these parts of the GSZ, carried out by the Second Army of the YA, started at 07:00 on 25 March. According to Colonel Radosav Mihailović, the on-site operation, the operation was carried out without incidents and according to the foreseen plan, followed by members of the Coordination Body, KFOR representatives as well as EU observers. This operation restored

2652-435: The border with Kosovo . Fighting began on 14 May at 06:10 by an attack on Yugoslav forces. At 07:00 guerrillas attacked Serbian police and army again and fired three rocket towards the village. More incidents happened during the day until 20:00. On 15 May Serbian forces captured Oraovica although UÇPMB attacked them at 14:15. Debates were high on how many casualties there were. Yugoslav troops sustained no casualties. While

2730-476: The border with Kosovo. On 16 February near the border town of Podujevo seven Serb civilians were killed after Niš-Ekspres bus with refugees from Kosovo was blown up by the UÇPMB. After that, on 7 March 2001, KFOR agreed to allow Serb military to reoccupy the GSZ section by section. In one village where the UÇPMB still stood, a guerrilla fighter died in an accidental explosion. At the same time Albanian guerrillas started mutiny in Republic of Macedonia. During

2808-537: The deaths were caused by mines. In 2013, UÇPMB veterans erected a memorial with the names of 27 insurgents who were killed in the conflict. A further 400 were reported to have surrendered to KFOR. Seven ethnic Albanian civilians were also killed. Two United Nations observers were wounded, according to reports. Ongoing Low-intensity clashes continued over the next years. Chronology of most important events: Several attacks on army were recorded in this period, such as: attack on watchtower in Čarska kula, sabotage on

2886-577: The election results, and tried to capture and prosecute those who had voted. In 1995, thousands of Serb refugees from Croatia were settled in Kosovo, which further worsened relations between the two communities. Kosovo Albanians organized a resistance movement, creating a number of parallel structures in education, medical care, and taxation. New schools opened, with houses being turned into facilities for schools, including high schools and universities. During parallel elections, new leaders were elected, forming

2964-468: The entire Ground Safety Zone was restored, ending the conflicts in southern Serbia. The Battle of Oraovica was a conflict between Army and Police of FR Yugoslavia and Albanian militant group before Serbs entered last sector of Ground Security Zone. Since the village was outside GSZ, Yugoslav forces were allowed to use heavier weapons, such as M-84 tank. On 14 May Yugoslav forces launched an attack on UÇPMB stronghold in this Albanian-populated place near

3042-569: The entrance of a building in Preševo where ethnic Albanian member of Gendarmery lived with his family. His wife and son were injured. Minister of Internal Affairs Ivica Dačić described this attacks as a terrorist act. Same night police conducted an operation on a border with Kosovo, cutting illegal arms smuggling to central Serbia . Minister Dačić also said they found large amounts of weapons and ammunition in village Norča near Preševo . The Government of Serbia accused former UÇPMB high-ranking member Lirim Jakupi, known as "Commander Nazi ". He

3120-483: The first units that entered were engineering units that were tasked with examining the whole field and eliminating the danger of the set mines. Soon, simultaneously with them, other members of the Army entered the zone led by General Pavković and other commanders. When Pavković entered the part of the C sector, Lieutenant Colonel David Olvein, a military attaché of the US Embassy, was watching events with extreme care, but at

3198-440: The forced mobilization of Albanian military capable men over the age of 18. They took private vehicles and sent it all to the first combat ranks. After establishing themselves, the following day they continued with armed attacks. In the period from 11:15 to 12:05 and from 12:30 to 15:30 on 22 November, from the direction of the villages of Dobrosin and Končulj, Albanian rebels carried out attacks from automatic weapons and mortars to

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3276-517: The highest commander of one of fractions of the UÇPMB, as he signed the Končulj agreement to lay down his arms. At the same time, the Serbian side agreed to sign the Statement on conditional amnesty for members of the UÇPMB , which promised amnesty to UÇPMB members from 23 May 2001. About 400 Albanians surrendered to KFOR and another 150 to Serbian police. They were not charged for war crimes according to

3354-472: The last operation during the GSZ's occupation on 31 May, entering the B Center zone. The return of members of the Yugoslav Army to the central part of the sector has been restored sovereignty over this part of the territory of the FRY, and the entire action was completed by 12:00, when the Serbian security forces entered the administrative line with Kosovo. During the operation, there were no conflicts or provocations by rebels or Albanian civilians. After entering

3432-477: The local Albanians, Serbia and Kosovo committing to demilitarization. It sought for the full demilitarization, demobilization and disarmament of the Liberation Army of Preševo, Medveđa and Bujanovac (UÇPMB). It also calls for integration of ethnic Albanians into governmental, civic, economic and police structures, and support from the international community to implement the so-called Čović Plan. The agreement

3510-524: The local police in Beli Kamen, municipality of Medveđa. It was precisely in these regions that there were representatives of the Coordination Body who were preparing for the occupation of the sector D. After the preparations, Yugoslav forces from the outer circumference of sector D made a move from the starting positions and entry into sector D early in the morning of 14 April. The operation was monitored by KFOR teams, EU observers and numerous journalists. After

3588-515: The meeting of General Ninoslav Krstić with the representative of KFOR in Merdare near Kuršumlija on 2 April 2001. The agreement on entry into Sector D was signed in Merdare on 12 April by Ninoslav Krstić and Nebojša Čović, as well as representatives of KFOR. Earlier, Albanian rebels attacked police positions in the village of Marovac, the municipality of Medveđa, with two mortar shells, and attacked members of

3666-481: The monument with a bagger at 7:00 AM. At least 2,000 ethnic Albanians protested in the southern Serbian town of Preševo to protest against the removal of a memorial to fallen Albanian guerrillas. The operation was led by general Bratislav Dikić . This crisis raised the tension in the Preševo Valley once again. Republic of Kosova The Republic of Kosova ( Albanian : Republika e Kosovës ), also known as

3744-515: The municipality of Kuršumlija , and later spread to Medveđa , Bujanovac and Preševo . The UÇPMB established many bases in mountains and plains around the towns of Bujanovac and Preševo. The militants were centered in the village of Veliki Trnovac . Because of restricted movement in that area, police and army were unable to stop them. On 21 November two policeman were killed by land mine. Serbs responded on attacks with more checkpoints and patrols. During 1999 rebels did not enter an open conflict with

3822-508: The people from the crisis zones was terminated because it was found that at the Dobrosin point there was a mortar of 60 millimeter, a sniper and automatic rifle, two combat ammunition kits, 6 inductor phones and more. Rebels then carry out another attack on the police patrol in Dobrosin . After this attack, police officers were withdrawn from the Municipality of Bujanovac in order to prevent further conflicts and reorganize police units. Thus,

3900-404: The pillar through which is powered the base of near Dobrosin and the stoning of a military motor vehicle in the village of Lučane . On 9 July 2009, two members of Serbian Gendarmery were wounded after unnamed 'terrorists' launched a grenade at their Land Rover near the village of Lučane . Another vehicle in the same patrol and nearby houses were also damaged. On 14 July bomb exploded near

3978-433: The plan for resolving the crisis in Preševo Valley . The plan calls for joint police forces of local ethnic Albanians and Serbs, in proportion to the ethnic groups' populations in the area. The proposal calls for integrating the valley's ethnic Albanian population into mainstream Serbian political and social life. It also offers civil rights guarantees and promises of economic development. The plan doesn't provide autonomy for

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4056-432: The police in the village of Lučane. Later, in the period between 21:45 and 23:15, the rebels carried out attacks on the police in the village of Djordjevac from mortars, hand grenades (fired 20–30 mines) and infantry weapons. The next day, on 23 November, around 10:00, Albanian rebels carried out an attack with 5 mines from mortars and brownies to the police patrol in the village of Djordjevac. In response to these conflicts,

4134-401: The police only responded when the lives of its members were endangered. The offensive UÇPMB in the battle near Bujanovac started on 21 November 2000, after two days of provocations and strong attacks on the positions of the police. That day, about 500 guerrillas, who were incomparably better armed than the police, were unhindered from Kosovo to the municipality of Bujanovac , and in addition to

4212-427: The police. Instead, they battled them with the mortars from the distance, so Serbs were unable to respond. Conflict escalated in 2000. On 16 January three Serbs civilians from village Pasjane were killed by rebels in a Ground Safety Zone on a road Gjilan – Preševo . After the overthrow of Slobodan Milošević , the new government requested that NATO and KFOR suspend the demilitarized zone around Kosovo, in fear that

4290-491: The possible effects of the VJ in the Ground Safety Zone. KFOR kept all the roads leading to Dobrosin, the village where the rebels were concentrated, were blocked. During this blockade, on one track, a truck driver was arrested who tried to smuggle weapons and ammunition for the rebels through the US checkpoint. In the fireplace were mortars, anti-personnel mines, machine guns and 5,000 bullets. Searching terrain KFOR found

4368-462: The presence of strong forces of the American KFOR contingent with the administrative line of Serbia and Kosovo. In the period from 12:25 to 17:00 on 21 November, Albanians committed synchronized attacks on the Dobrosin security checkpoint, and on the positions of the police on the corners of Devojačka Čuka and Osoje. Three policemen were killed and five wounded by sniper fire from the UÇPMB. After

4446-440: The press conference, Nebojša Čović denounced the information that Qazimi was with Sean Sullivan at the time, and he removed doubts about the fate of Ridvan Qazimi, saying he was killed in a confrontation with Serbian security forces. He also praised the way B South and B North were occupied, adding that the Army will not enter Zone B Center, where the highest concentration of rebels is located, until 31 May. The Yugoslav Army performed

4524-468: The provincial assembly proposed a vote on whether to form an independent republic; the ethnic Serb president of the assembly immediately shut it down and promised to reopen the assembly on 2 July, which was later postponed. On 2 July, the vast majority of Albanian members of the Provincial Assembly returned to the Assembly, but it had been locked; so in the street outside they voted to declare Kosovo

4602-491: The rebels occupied the area around Dobrosin, Lucana, Konculja, Mali Trnovac and Breznica, as well as 4 police stations. After the end of these conflicts, at night 21–22. In November, besides members of the American contingent of KFOR, about 1,000 rebels had been armed to their teeth, and entered the wider Bujanovac area. Among them were Albanians from Western European countries, from Albania and Kosovo. They immediately carried out

4680-420: The region or possible annexation to Kosovo . Instead, it is providing decentralization to local authorities. The plan also calls for demilitarization of the Preševo Valley and disbandment of UÇPMB. All rebel controlled areas should be returned to Serbia. Every rebel that surrenders will be promised a pardon from the Yugoslav government. The plan was accepted, and Albanians signed the demilitarization agreement in

4758-491: The road from Gjian – Preševo , the UÇPMB took 6 Serbian civilians hostage. They were all released shortly after through the mediation of the KFOR and the FRY . On 5 February the fiercest fighting in the Preševo valley happened since the end of the 1999 Kosovo conflict. The Yugoslav army exchanged artillery fire for several hours across the internationally imposed buffer zone next to

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4836-456: The same day, the commander of the Joint Security Forces, General Ninoslav Krstić, met with the KFOR Commander in Merdare and on that occasion a document on the return of the VJ to Sector B. was signed. To accomplish this task, new special anti-terrorist and anti-trust units of the Joint Security Forces have been engaged. The action was carried out with the coordination of KFOR and by 24 May,

4914-441: The same time he was very surprised when he received information that the planned time of 10 hours, ended up taking positions in just 2 hours. After entering the eastern part of Sector C, on 22 March 2001, the KFOR command led by General Kabigoszu, in a meeting with Yugoslav representatives in Merdare, approved the entry of the Yugoslav Army into the western part of Sector C (along the border of Montenegro and Kosovo) and sector A (to

4992-514: The shooting, the Ministry of Affairs conducted a counter-terrorism operation. At 12:25, 12:55 and 15:30, attacks on the Dobrosin puncture were made from mortars, automatic and sniper weapons and machine guns, when Gropi's observatory was hit on two occasions with more than 5 mines. At 12:48, an attack from mortars, infantry weapons, machine guns and brownies was carried out to local police positions at

5070-495: The state sovereignty of the FRY over the border belt of municipalities: Plav, Berane, Rožaje, Tutin, Novi Pazar, Raška, Brus and Kuršumlija. The total length of the western part of Sector C and Sector A was 263 km, and the width was 5 km, that is, in total, about 1300 km . The preparations of the Yugoslav Army to enter Sector D of the Ground Security Zone (the border region of Medveđa municipality) began after

5148-457: The town of Bujanovac . The battle was conducted in the areas of Končulj , Dobrosin , Lučane and Devojačka Čuka as well as in the wider area around Mali Trnovac , Muhovac and Đorđevac . The UÇPMB clashed with the Serbian security forces began in July 2000 and were aimed at conquering the communication Bujanovac - Gjilan and taking over the villages of the municipality of Bujanovac . The fighting

5226-416: The triple border of Serbia, Macedonia and Kosovo, it was free of incidents. Already at 07:20, Nebojša Pavković told FRY President Vojislav Koštunica that the operation is taking place successfully. There were no land mines on the ground, nor did they see armed groups of Albanian rebels. In the sky above Macedonia, several Cobra KFOR helicopters were observed that supervised the operation. In Sector C – East,

5304-496: The village of Dobrosin, the center of the rebels, police carried out an inspection of 14 abandoned accommodation facilities. In the presence of the President of the Local Community Dobrosin , Reshat Salihi, they found 2 anti-personnel mines, uniforms and military equipment, three radio stations, 100 medical items and others. During the deployment of the Yugoslav Army along the left border of the central part of Sector B, at

5382-494: The withdrawal, a fierce infantry attack by Albanian rebels from the wider region of Tuštica and Visoko was followed when the observation post on the Gropi hill was occupied. In this attack, rebels captured three members of the MUP. They were taken to their camp in the territory of Kosovo where they were tormented by the religious leaders and eventually liquidated. Around 17:00 the withdrawal of

5460-543: The Čović Plan and Končulj Agreement. Most of UÇPMB members joined the AKSH and the NLA's war in Macedonia , while others joined newly formed Liberation Army of Eastern Kosovo. Because of lack of members LAEK is not active. Several attacks on the Serb forces and civilians were recorded after the end of the war. After reoccupation of GSZ, Serbia separated it into 3 sectors. The sector B

5538-480: Was also wanted by Macedonia for attacks on police in 2005 . In November 2012, a monument dedicated to the 27 killed UÇPMB fighters, was erected in Preševo's main square. The Government of Serbia was against it, therefore, they enforced an ultimatum to the local government to remove it. On 16 May the deadline expired. On 20 May, the Serbian Gendarmery surrounded the city with 200 men, backed up by heavily armored vehicles and bulldozers, started removing

5616-461: Was around Preševo (sector B). On 24 May, the Serbian army entered the town, although Albanian fighters were attacking them. There, one of the rebel commanders, Ridvan Qazimi "Lleshi" was killed. It is not clear whether he was killed by police or by other insurgents. After the Serb victory, the UÇPMB agreed to disarm. During the 2001 insurgency in Macedonia , the UÇPMB continuously funded and supported

5694-606: Was established by the name of the United Nations Interim Administration Mission (UNMIK), which entered Kosovo on 11 June 1999. UNMIK assumed control of Kosovo. A Joint Interim Administrative Structure was established to allow Kosovo political and community leaders to be represented in decisions. The KLA was disbanded and replaced by the Kosovo Protection Corps , a lightly armed civilian emergency response organization. On 31 January 2000,

5772-576: Was intensified in November 2000, when the police, under the influence of a threefold strength of the UÇPMB, withdrew from the security checkpoints that were fought, occupying defensive positions closer to Bujanovac . The fighting broke into a pat-position at the end of November 2000 after the arrival of the JSO as well as military and police reinforcements to the south of Serbia. The conflicts were of low intensity, and were mainly reduced to occasional rebel attacks where

5850-456: Was killed. The conflict lasted from 11:30 to 15:00. Qazimi was in custody with three other rebels, and when he got up and went to his jeep, he was hit in the head. It was later revealed that he had been killed by a sniper. After the death of Qazimi, various stories began to circulate in the south of Serbia, from killing the infected UÇPMB faction members about the distribution of the remaining plunder, to escaping to Kosovo and then to Albania. At

5928-546: Was no major fighting until 2000. With the signing of the Kumanovo agreement , the provisions designed the creation of a 5-kilometre-wide safety zone around Kosovo's border and into the FRY if necessary. A 25-kilometre-wide air safety zone was also designed by the provisions of the agreement. Only lightly armed police in groups of up to ten were allowed to patrol, and banned the FRY from using planes, tanks or any other heavier weapons. The GSZ consisted of 5 sectors: In June 1999,

6006-445: Was signed by Serbian president Vojislav Koštunica and Shefket Musliu , the highest UÇPMB commander who surrendered. According to the agreement, Yugoslav troops were allowed safe access to Sector B of Preševo. NATO representative Sean Sullivan witnessed the agreement as a broker of the talks in absence of direct communication between the UÇPMB and the FRY government. "It's time to use other means than weapons," says Shefket Musliu,

6084-500: Was the NATO Head of Office in the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia (FRY). At the same time, the Serbian side agreed to sign the Statement on conditional amnesty for members of the UÇPMB , which promised amnesty to UÇPMB members from 23 May 2001. The insurgency continued until 1 June 2001 when it officially ended. This Pčinja District , Serbia location article is a stub . You can help Misplaced Pages by expanding it . Insurgency in

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